This invention relates to a pedal for a bicycle, and more particularly to a pedal having reflectors provided at a pedal body.
Conventionally, the pedal for the bicycle is provided at the pedal body with reflectors fixed to the front and rear surfaces of the pedal body longitudinally of the bicycle by means of fixing means, such as adhesives, the reflectors serving to reflect the light illuminated from the headlight of an automobile.
The front and rear surfaces of the pedal body are not always vertically as wide as required, but narrow, curved or slanted due to the pedal body shape. Hence, the front and rear surfaces, when formed flat and wide, facilitate fixing of the reflectors, but, when formed too narrow to attach the reflectors, curved or slanted, are difficult to carry the reflectors. The reflectors, even if mounted to the support, are not sufficient for ensuring the full reflective effect.
Accordingly, the conventional pedal body has the front and rear surfaces designed to be larger in vertical width than the prescribed dimension, or slanted at a certain angle with respect to the pedal body, thereby mounting the reflectors to both the surfaces. Therefore, the pedal body is restricted in design of its shape, thereby making it impossible to form it in a flat shape for less air-resistance when in use.
In order to overcome the aforesaid problems, this invention has been designed. A main object of the invention is to provide a pedal having reflectors mountable to the pedal body regardless of a shape thereof, that is, even when the front and rear surfaces of the pedal body are so shaped that the reflectors are not mountable thereto or the reflective effect is not fully expectable from the reflectors even if mounted to the pedal body, the reflectors are mountable to the pedal body, so that the reflectors can reliably reflect the light illuminated from the headlights of an automobile coming from before or after the bicycle, thereby allowing a driver of the automobile to be careful of the running bicycle. Another object is to provide a pedal capable of retracting the reflectors to the pedal body underside side when they are not necessary for use in the daytime or the like.
The pedal of this invention is provided with a support having reflectors and separate from a pedal body, the support being mounted thereto swingably between a position where the support is substantially vertical with respect to the pedal body and projects downwardly from the lower surface thereof and a position where the support is substantially horizontal to the pedal body, so that when the bicycle is driven in the night, the support allows the reflectors to appear downwardly from the lower surface of the pedal body, and when the reflectors are unnecessary for use in the daytime or the like, the support swings and is held at the substantially horizontal position.
The invention is able to desirably design the pedal body because the reflectors are attached to the support separate from the pedal body, whereas, the reflectors ensure reflection of the light from the headlight of an automobile coming from before or after the bicycle to thereby allow a driver for the automobile to be careful of the bicycle.
Furthermore, when the reflectors are not necessary for use in the daytime or the like, the support swings to be held along the pedal body so as not to hinder pedalling.
These and other objects and novel features of the invention will be apparent from the description of an embodiment of the invention in accordance with the accompanying drawings.